The Miracles of Christmas
by Zanzibar1
Summary: Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in the Xavier Institute. "What more could make this night perfect?" Nothing!


_Author's Note: The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls, don't ask why this fic popped into my head after listening to this song. I have no idea why my brain works the way it does…nope, just kidding I do, it's magic! Uh hum, anyways... A cute piece of fluff that I came up I didn't put in any French words for Gambit, so it may not sound completely like him. __ Please enjoy and review! __And have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy!_

I left the dark empty bedroom and followed the dark hall to the living room. The fireplace glowed with the embers of the fire from earlier. Looking around I took note of the presents stacked under the Christmas tree waiting for the morning to come when they would be ripped open by the occupants of the Institute and the abandoned trinkets here and there.

I walked over to the couch in front of the dying fire and plopped down onto it with a sigh. The one I had been hoping for who I thought would be sulking around here after my rude comment earlier was nowhere to be seen. Of course I had no idea what I would say even if he had been here. _Ah'm sorry…Ah love…No! Ah will not! What am Ah thinking?_ I thought in astonishment at my own minds subconscious thoughts.

Staring into the dying embers I attempted to erase the thought. A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I turned to find him standing there calmly gazing at me with all the love and happiness shining from his eyes. _But doesn't he hate me for the comment earlier? Ah humiliated him in front of the entire institute. They all told him that he didn't have a chance to get meh after they thought Ah had left the room._

"Rogue?" he had cocked his head to the side in confusion. I realized that my face had just shown exactly what I had been thinking and I turned from the red eyes that seemed to catch mine every time I looked at him. "If you dink I'm mad at you den you are mistaken."

_Ah figured that out by just looking at your eyes Cajun. Yah didn't need to tell meh._ I sighed sitting forward, arms on knees, in apprehension. I hadn't heard him move at all and didn't realize he was right behind me until he had placed a careful hand on my shoulder startling me.

"Cherie," he said and reached his other arm around my body and held his closed hand in front of me. "Merry Christmas," he finished. He opened his hand to reveal a small package neatly wrapped in a metallic green wrapping paper.

I didn't question the present, but only took it and stared at it for a time.

"It's alright you can open it before Christmas. Remy doesn't mind," he invited.

I gazed thoughtfully down at the small package. _Do Ah want to know what is in this package? Is he really not mad at meh for earlier? Ah said some awful things that Ah should never have said in the first place._

"Ah'm sorry Ah can't accept this," I finally replied after that thought. I held the package up to him without even looking up. I kept my eyes staring firmly at the red embers in the fireplace, but realized they looked just like his eyes when he drew on his power. I turned my head to look at the tree and stare at the lights lit up around it. My gaze was drawn by the red bulbs until I realized that these also looked like his eyes.

His hand just noticeably tightened. "It's yours to accept or not _after_ you open it."

I lowered my hand holding the package and placed my gaze back on the packaging. I turned it over to pull the wrapping off. Pulling the green paper off I placed it on a couch next to me. What I had feared would be inside the packaging was indeed there. It was a black velvet box that I looked upon in fear. I had done some inexcusable things in the past to this man and yet here he was trying to ask me the one question without words that I hoped I would never hear from anyone after my mutant powers had shown themselves.

"Before you say anything," he said, "please just open it."

I shook my head and forced myself to swallow past a lump that had formed in my throat.

"Remy…"

He interrupted, "Rogue, please just open it."

I could hear his voice almost beginning to crack and I relented. I had hurt him once too many times already today. I bit my lip as I cracked the box open only to let it snap shut as a piece of paper slid out.

I set the box down on my lap and picked up the paper unfolding it until I could read the message.

_Rogue,_

_Before you even say anything. I want you to know that I love you. You have caught my heart like no one ever before. It pains me every day you push me away when all I ever wanted was to be close to you. Of course I sometimes did deserve the random punch or scold, but I love and I know you love me back otherwise I don't think that you would put up with me quite so much as you do. I'm pretty sure you already know what I am asking._

_Please, I hope you say the one magic word._

_I love you with all my heart._

_Remy Lebeau_

I felt a tear slide down my cheek before I was aware it had even formed. I wiped it away with my free hand before placing the note down and picking the box back up. I calmly opened the box to reveal a silver ring within. A diamond in the form of a blossoming rose was held down by brackets on the ring. I fell backwards against the sofa back and continuously opened my mouth wordlessly in astonishment. _Ah never thought…Ah never knew he cared this much…Ah would have never said those things if Ah had known he loved me this much…No, Ah did know. Ah just refused to acknowledge those feelings. Ah always thought it was Scott, but in reality it was him…always him…Remy._

I slid around slowly to face him. His face was professionally blank except the small glimmer of hope that slipped past his guard. He waited patiently for my answer as the thoughts ran through my head. I lifted my head to look up at him, my face still plastered in astonishment. I decided in that moment not to answer in the more traditional verse.

"What took yah so long?" I finally asked breaking the tension that had become extremely thick in the room.

His face broke out in a wild grin and took the ring from me. He took my left hand in his gloved hand and slipped the ring onto my ring finger.

I pulled him around the couch and sat him down next to me. Making sure not to allow skin to touch skin I lay back against him allowing his warmth to surround me. Maybe we would never be able to touch each other. Maybe we would never be able to kiss, but that didn't mean we couldn't enjoy each other's company and I realized after I had opened the box that I had always loved him. I was just afraid to love. After what happened to my last boyfriend I was scared what would happen to Remy, so I had shoved the feelings deep down inside me keeping them far from the surface where they could cause me to accidently hurt someone. Sure I loved Scott, but in more of a friendly way than anything serious.

I simply allowed myself to relax and looked into the embers that were all but gone now.

We were engaged. Fiancés. What more could make this night perfect?

**

* * *

**

Next morning we were woken by the shouts of some of the younger students yelling and stampeding into the room towards the tree. I was startled to wakefulness that caused me to bolt upright. After the kids had bombarded the tree, Remy and I silently agreed to wait for someone to notice the ring before saying anything about our new relationship status.

We merely sat there watching as the younger students opened their presents and handed out the ones to those of the institute who had gravitated down to the room after the amount of noise made in the hall woke most everyone.

"Scott," Jean called from a chair.

I watched Scott make his way through the ever increasing crowd to Jean. They hugged and greeted each other with the traditional Merry Christmas. I smiled as Scott produced a gift from under the tree and handed to her. I elbowed Remy gently and pointed at the two. It had been obvious from the start that they cared for each other, no matter how many times I had denied that truth to my own mind.

"What do ya want ta bet dat dey will get together as well?" Remy whispered in my ear.

"After prancing around like they've been?" I asked. "Not likely. Unless it's a miracle."

"Well, miracles do happen on Christmas as dey say," he remarked.

"Too true."

And the saying was true to its word as a very happy squeal could be heard over the entire room. Everyone turned to witness Jean leaping into Scott's arms and kiss. Several people groaned and made sounds of disgust while those in the X-Men team clapped and others just said finally.

"Took those two long enough," Logan said from behind us. I startled and looked over my shoulder to see Logan standing there.

"Merry Christmas, Logan."

He smiled back at me, "Merry Christmas, Rogue." He glanced down at my hand and sniffed. "Better watch yourself, Bub. Or you might not make it to the New Year," he warned.

Remy looked aghast. "Logan! Why would you say such a ding as dat?"

"You know perfectly well why, Pickpocket."

I giggled. "Now, can't we just get along? After all it is Christmas," I said hopefully.

Logan smirked, "That's okay. It won't take long for me to send him packing after today."

I glared at him and shook my head. _Men, of course I suppose I need a Dad to be overcautious with me. It wouldn't be the same otherwise. _

"I'll take dat chance," Remy said confidently as he placed an arm around my shoulders.

Logan growled at the move and I snuggled closer to him which ceased his grumbling.

"Just know that you won't hurt her. Got it Bub?" he asked.

"Logan, please. It's Christmas and these two have a right to enjoy what it has brought them," the professor interrupted.

"Thanks Professor," I calmly said over my shoulder.

_:My pleasure. Merry Christmas Rogue, Remy and Congratulations. Don't mind Logan, I'll keep an eye on him.:_

_Thanks._

I don't know if he heard me or not, but the fact that he believed we would be okay together was extremely supportive and I felt overjoyed to know that simple fact.

Kurt teleported in front of us and took one look at our position and then down at my hand before exclaiming, "THEY'VE DONE IT! Look! They're together!"

"There's goes the peaceful silence," I commented.

"What silence," Remy asked looking around, "Remy hasn't heard dis silence you speak of."

I rolled my eyes and laughed at the joke and the others who came over to see my ring looked confused at my laughter. I only shook my head at them when I stopped laughing. Everyone demanded that I hold out my hand for them to all see. I gave them that demand and held my hand up for all to see. Jean cried out when she saw it.

"You too?"

I nodded and she beamed down at me. "Congratulations!"

"And you too," I replied.

We smiled at each other both of us in our lovers arms. This was definitely the best Christmas ever.

_Author's Note: Hope everyone enjoyed this fic. I didn't think I'd be able to think of something for a Christmas fic, yet here is one. Merry Christmas everyone! Please review! Otherwise you'll all be on Santa's naughty list! _


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